In 2023, the Malta Airport Foundation announced its support for the restoration of a set of 14 paintings depicting the Via Sagra inside one of the oldest churches in Valletta which dates back to 1575: the Church of Saint Mary of Jesus, also known as Ta’ Ġieżu.

Art restoration company Atelier del Restauro was entrusted to revive the original beauty of the Via Sagra, or Stations of the Cross, reversing years of improper interventions and reestablish the paintings’ appearance as was originally intended by the artists.

The 11-month restoration process entailed the documentation of each one of the fourteen pieces and their decorative frames, including by examining the paintings under UV light, the disinfestation and cleaning of the paintings to remove overpainting, and the consolidation of any original paint loss using conservation grade materials.

This process unveiled previously unknown information about the Via Sagra, as the restorers identified the hands of two prominent Maltese artists, Francesco Zahra and Gian Nicola Buhagiar, in several of the paintings. On the verso of two other paintings a rare inscription detailing the name of the artist, Jacobbus Gini, and the name of the person who commissioned both of these works of art was also discovered.

The gilded frames adorning the paintings, attributed to renowned Maltese artist Abram Gatt, were also restored, with 23,75k gold leaf being applied using the water gilding technique to the tarnished areas. The restored paintings were re-installed in the church and unveiled during Holy Week in March 2024.

Read More about the Via Sagra at Ta’ Ġieżu Church here:

Historical Via Sagra at Ta’ Ġieżu to get a new lease of life thanks to the Malta Airport Foundation